Trump administration seeks Texas help for legal aid to immigrant children

The U.S. Department of Justice requested assistance from the Texas Indigent Defense Commission to provide legal representation for immigrant children facing deportation. The request, conveyed through Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and DOJ official James McHenry, surprised the commission because its statutory mandate is limited to criminal defense for low‑income Texans. Commission director Scott Ehlers said he doubted the legality of the proposed immigration work. A DOJ spokesperson confirmed that officials from the Office of Refugee Resettlement sought Texas’ help after finding they could not represent the children themselves, and that federal funds would be directed to Texas for the effort. The request comes as the Trump administration moves to end the existing federal contract with the Acacia Center for Justice, shuts down dozens of shelters in Democratic states, and raises concerns that unaccompanied minors could be transferred to Texas where oversight is limited. Acacia’s executive director Shaina Aber and other advocates warned that such transfers would jeopardize children’s access to trusted attorneys, while HHS spokesperson Emily Hilliard said the administration continues to explore ways to secure legal representation for the roughly 20,000 children currently covered by the contract.